BOX SCORE
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.- Western Michigan put up a good fight, but 2007 NCAA Tournament participant New Mexico proved to be too much for the Broncos, as the Brown & Gold fell to the host Lobos, 85-62, at the Women's Sport Foundation Challenge.
Although the outcome may have not been what WMU (0-1) hoped for, the effort put forth hinted to a bright future. The Broncos exhibited an all-around team effort, as eight different players scored - six of them almost hitting double digits.
Preseason All-Mid-American Conference selection Tiera DeLaHoussaye led WMU with 10 points, nine assists and six rebounds. Sara Vest and Sarah Dreher also scored 10 points apiece, while Vest was the team's leading rebounder, collecting seven boards. Netting eight points each were Amanda Parker, Molly Dwyer and Brenna Banktson. Ebony Cleary and Michelle DeNooyer both tallied four.
Undersized by almost two inches at every position, gritty play kept Western Michigan within striking distance in the first half, as the Broncos headed into the locker room trailing, 38-31, at the half. WMU held New Mexico (1-0) without a basket for the first three and a half minutes of the game, forcing three turnovers on the first four possessions, keeping a rowdy Lobo crowd of 7,971on their feet at The Pit.
Western Michigan tried to maintain the same scrappiness in the second period, but New Mexico eventually wore on the Broncos and broke the game open shortly after the first media timeout, going on an 11-2 run with 13:41 remaining. Rebounding was a major factor in the Broncos' demise, as the Lobos owned a 27-9 advantage on the boards in the latter half.
“I think we put forth a good effort against a very strong program,” WMU head coach Ron Stewart said. “We did the things we needed to do early, I am really proud of our first half of the year. We seemed to wear down in the second and just couldn't hang with them, and rebounding was a part of that.
“On the upside, the way the kids came in off the bench in the first half, when others were in foul trouble, and the effort that we gave was really monumental.”
New Mexico had three players reach double figures, led by a 22-point, 20-rebound performance by Brandi Kimble. Dionne Marsh finished with 20 points, while Amy Beggin hit five three's on her way to 19.
Western Michigan will face Northwestern on Saturday (8 p.m. ET), before taking on Dayton on Sunday (2 p.m. ET). In the first game of the Women's Sport Foundation Challenge Friday night, Northwestern beat the Flyers in overtime, 76-70. Games from New Mexico will be streamed live online through tournament central at www.GoLobos.com.
